Brussels, 22/06/2010 (Agence Europe) - EU housing and urban development ministers, meeting informally in Toledo on Monday 21 June under the chairwomanship of Spanish Housing Minister Beatriz Corredor, agreed the need to encourage full refurbishment of housing blocks and districts to improve energy performance, provide public amenities which are still lacking, infuse districts with new life to improve social cohesion - and, quite simply, everyday life - and also to create jobs. Presenting the outcome of discussions to the press, Corredor highlighted the following points:
(1) Ministers suggest to the European Commission that housing should make a contribution to energy efficiency and to the renovation and rehabilitation of the building stock. “A fundamental task in that the EU has to reach political targets related to climate change, economic recovery and social integration,” Corredor said. Housing renovation “fits perfectly within the 2020 strategy of the EU”, which is promoting “a new sustainable and environmentally-friendly economy that sees innovation, knowledge and better use of resources as the foundations for sustainable development,” she noted;
(2) There is broad agreement among member states in terms of the aspects they include within the concept of rehabilitation of housing, buildings and urban areas. “Between 60% and 90% of the countries of the EU have similar content in their regulations on building rehabilitation, 90% have specific regulations on energy efficiency, 80% include requirements regarding accessibility and 50% contain an integrated approach to urban rehabilitation,” said Corredor;
(3) Most member states have understood that refurbishing the building stock is a generator of employment and they have consequently put in place plans to encourage such work as a way of tackling the crisis. “Nine countries say they created half a million jobs between 2008 and 2009 through refurbishment of the housing stock,” Corredor noted, referring to Spain's case, “where for every €1 million invested in refurbishment, 56 jobs are created”.
(4) Ministers noted the importance of improving energy efficiency. Making a commitment “to better insulation of facades and surrounds” could represent “a saving of up to 40%” in each home's energy bill,” Corredor said. There was, then, considerable scope for improving energy efficiency and reducing greenhouse gas emissions as part of the EU 2020 strategy, which aims for a 20% increase in renewable energies used, a 20% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions and a 20% improvement in the energy efficiency of buildings.
(5) The ageing European population is “a parameter which will affect the adoption of rules on access and on promotion of independent living for persons with handicaps,” the Spanish minister noted. She added that ministers had noted that “local and national authorities should take action and make owners and tenants aware of the need to improve housing and public spaces”. (G.B./transl.rt)